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(October 11, 2024) State Board of Wildlife approves proposal to declare Bengaluru's Hesaraghatta grassland into conservation reserve The State Board of Wildlife (SBWL) has approved the proposal to declare the 5,000-acre Hesaraghatta grassland as a conservation reserve, safeguarding the area's ecology and catchment zones. This decision follows a 2021 rejection, which was overturned after a court order. The restrictions are focused on reducing disturbance from visitors while safeguarding the local village...

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(October 10, 2024) Dr. Aaron Savio Lobo, Head of WCS-India's Marine Programme and Dr. Anant Pande, Senior Scientist and Senior Project Lead of the Ocean Giants project, attended the Bay of Bengal Strategy Meeting at Bangkok, Thailand from September 9th – 11th, 2024. The meeting was also attended by WCS’s Bay of Bengal country programme representatives from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand.  Several regional and transboundary issues pertaining to marine conservation such as bycatch re...

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(September 27, 2024) Assam's Kaziranga National Park a global model for rhino conservation: India | Deccan Herald Kaziranga National Park is home to 70% of the world’s one-horned rhinos and is known globally for its successful conservation efforts, focusing on forest management, anti-poaching, and habitat restoration. Despite a 170% growth in India’s rhino population since the 1980s, challenges like wildlife trafficking and climate change persist. Therefore efforts like expanding habitats and add...

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(September 20, 2024) Wildlife SOS And J&K Wildlife Protection Department Conduct First-Ever Brown Bear Research In India Unplanned waste disposal in Kashmir's Sonmarg region has led to increased human-brown bear conflicts, as Himalayan brown bears forage in garbage dumps. This dependence on human waste is harming their health and passing poor foraging habits to younger generations. To address this, Wildlife SOS and the J&K Wildlife Protection Department initiated a radio-collaring project to track the...

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(September 13, 2024) Capturing the secret lives of small cats | Mongabay A camera trap study in Mehao Wildlife Sanctuary, Arunachal Pradesh, documented small cats like leopard and marbled cats, showing their preference for dense and undisturbed forests.  The study highlights the threats these small cats face from habitat loss and human disturbance. Despite the challenges, local Idu Mishmi taboos against hunting wild cats play a crucial role in their conservation. Wildlife Passages To Prevent Golden Lang...

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(September 09, 2024) The following content is collected from public information and does not represent the views of WCS-India.  We collected and collated 57 illegal wildlife trade related data-points from various regions across India using open-source information. The highest number of wildlife seizure incidents were reported from Tamil Nadu (13), Odisha (8), and Assam (5). Some of the reported wildlife species included Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles (Indian Roofed Turtle, Tricarinate Hill Turtle, Indian T...

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(September 06, 2024) Kerala fishermen on a mission to save whale sharks along state coastline | Deccan Herald Fishermen in Kerala are actively rescuing whale sharks, with 23 saved over the last five years. The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Kerala Forest Department ran a campaign to raise awareness and offer financial aid for damaged nets. The fishermen are now playing a key role in reporting and rescuing the protected species. As in India, tigers in Nepal may seek refuge in sugarcane fields | Mongaba...

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(September 03, 2024) On 29th and 30th August 2024, our Counter Wildlife Trafficking (CWT) programme jointly organised a training programme with the Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Arunachal Pradesh in Itanagar. Inaugurated by Shri. P Subramanyam, IFS, PCCF & HOFF and Shri. N. Tam, IFS, PCCF & CWLW, the training saw participation from 39 frontline officers from the Forest Department including two officials from the Donyi Polo Airport. The training on ‘Combating Wildlif...

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(August 30, 2024) Manipur villages unite to protect endangered Pangolins along Indo-Myanmar border | The New Indian Express In a significant conservation initiative, 230 villages in Manipur along the Indo-Myanmar border, guided by the Tangkhul Naga Awunga Long (TNAL), have collectively banned the hunting of critically endangered Chinese Pangolins. This community-led effort seeks to curb illegal wildlife trade and conserve the species, which is heavily targeted for its scales and meat. Long-term monitoring...

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(August 23, 2024) Endemic Malabar Tree Toad populations may decline 68.7% due to climate change: Study | Down to Earth According to a study, the Malabar tree toad, endemic to India's Western Ghats, may see its distribution decline by 68.7% due to climate change. The research highlights the vulnerability of amphibians to climate change and stresses the importance of conservation efforts in the central Western Ghats, where suitable habitats are projected to decrease significantly. Tech-savvy Uttarakhand...

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